What is your way of preparing for training? Tips, tricks etc

mattc206

mattc206

Well-Known Member
Always love these types of discussions as someone always mentions something that they do that is efficient or really helps with studying/preparing. The question is how or what is your way of preparing for training (Whether it be Systems, procedures trainer or sim), specifically perhaps a new type rating.

I generally will set goals for each day/week of studying and will always alternate documents with what I am studying during that day but always take a few minutes to go thru emergencies/limitations in between other documents - e.g start the day with SOPs or systems for an hour or two, then coffee break and go over emergencies/briefings/limitations than start on the FOM or whatever other "big document or online training " that has to be done, another coffee break and a few minutes on emergencies/briefings than back to whatever else, you get the idea. Usually go 50 minutes reading/10 minute break to get up- walk around, get a coffee

At my shop, we have access to all the online tech ground school videos (at my shop its only online tech ground school, no in-person systems stuff), the FOM, aircraft operating manuals, electronic copies of the QRH's, aircraft posters for flows, or in some cases having to create your own graphical flow documents when the company didn't provide any.

For all the emergencies/limitations/briefings (we have emergency briefings that are done verbatim at the start of every crew pairing for RTO, engine failure at V1, and emergency descent) /flows- I always create my own document basically cutting and pasting the required memory items/briefings into a single PDF and print it out so I can go over them without having to be looking at the iPad or computer screen, and having it accessible in one single source, flashcards both in paper form or the electronic apps I've found handy as well.

For aircraft systems, I've always created "systems 101" types of documents with the highlights "high-level overview" of each system/limitation and any other info that may be applicable to that system, graphics put into the document as required.

So I pose the question, What are your preferred training/study methods? Discuss and have a good day!
 
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Generally whatever the company gives me and flashcards/posters, etc. I find I do better if I do it in little bits and pieces instead of trying to cram, unless I absolutely have to. Frequent breaks are the key for me, for recurrent I'll usually study kind of leisurely for at least a month prior just to not try to overload myself all at once. Fortunately both places I've been at honestly have everything structured reasonably well for figuring out what to study and when, especially if they give you CBTs before class. With the exception of actually practicing checklists and whatnot, I honestly generally study better alone. In my experience group study tends to lead people off into the weeds and ends up being a distraction, but I know that's not the case for everyone.
 
After class every day I always have a couple beers to unwind. Then maybe study a bit. I get burnt out easily if I study too much. Gone are the days of memorizing 32 electrical busses on the Saab. Training keeps getting easier and easier it seems. AQP is all of our’s friend.
 
L-16B said:
After class every day I always have a couple beers to unwind. Then maybe study a bit. I get burnt out easily if I study too much. Gone are the days of memorizing 32 electrical busses on the Saab. Training keeps getting easier and easier it seems. AQP is all of our’s friend.
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I feel like this advice varies. I looked back amazed at how much down/free time we had after classes during my regional initial compared to where I'm at now. Current shop felt like "drink from the firehose all day, then go back to your hotel and drink from it some more before tomorrow or you're going to fall behind." Thorough and good, but lets just say... efficient isn't necessarily fun.
 
When I did CFI training, 90% was ground training, 10% flying. I'd drill the written practice tests and make (and remake) notes based on the PTS.

In the end after regular 8 hour days of the above I needed to switch off in the evenings. Tv dinner etc.

Alex.
 
Cross literally everything you can out on the calendar for when you’re in long term…which is why long term sucks. And cooperate and graduate and GTFO of the grips of the training department as expeditiously as possible.

Anyway, I chair fly a lot, I have to write limitations and memory items out or I can’t memorize them. The more I can get the muscle memory of flows down, the better - posters are nice, but a vacant CSI trainer or FTD is even better.

Learning new automation is hard to do without seeing it in action. As much observation as you can get isn’t a terrible idea.

When you do this enough you figure out how to figure the program out, and what they’re looking for. Good instructors always know when to emphasize.
 
JordanD said:
I feel like this advice varies. I looked back amazed at how much down/free time we had after classes during my regional initial compared to where I'm at now. Current shop felt like "drink from the firehose all day, then go back to your hotel and drink from it some more before tomorrow or you're going to fall behind." Thorough and good, but lets just say... efficient isn't necessarily fun.
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Mormon initial’s largest hazard tended to be boredom; this program does not have that problem.
 
I pretty much went over the gouge. We had great gouge at Brown. It was cool knowing what was probably going to happen so you could focus on those things and not waste time on unnecessary minutia. I ran different scenarios in my head while considering courses of action, checklists, and reviewing approach charts. But always study up on what you know is going to happen. Profiles and procedures. This is all for the sim. For the written prep (AQP did away with the oral), I would study the questions and answers in the master question bank for my fleet.
 
Flash cards for limitations and memory items. After class I always go to the room and relax. Maybe read over my notes for 15-20 minutes before bed.

My first type rating was a fire hose. My last 3 have all been AQP and found this works for me.
 
I can only comment about MX training. When I went to G200 initial at Flightsafety it was two weeks, any large cabin Gulfstream was a month, I think they were trying to reduce costs for the operator and it was a firehose with long days (longer than the 8 hrs I was being paid). I think there was some backlash, when I went to G150 school at Flightsafety it was three weeks and a lot more relaxed. I think it's very important to be involved in whatever you go to school for before you're going to school for it. And whatever muscle you earn during that school atrophies quickly if you don't use it, it's still there but it's not as strong as it once was.
 
I did what @DE727UPS did. Going through initial at brown was easier than initial at my last company and I’d probably argue that it was easier than any recurrent I’ve had in my past life. The training department was true to their word and let us know they’d tell us everything we needed to know. Just show up having basic airmanship. All we had to do was our part and study each night. I was more than prepared for each lesson and never came in wondering what’s going on. During indoc I got antsy as it was a lot of different departments just talking throughout the day and figured I’d try to study ahead in the evenings. I found myself lost doing that and wouldn’t recommend anything other than starting flows. This was my first AQP initial too so idk if that played a part or not.
 
I take notes throughout the day, then write my notes into Anki. Works great, and then I have flash cards that I can review periodically using space repetition.
 
phill1174 said:
I did what @DE727UPS did. Going through initial at brown was easier than initial at my last company and I’d probably argue that it was easier than any recurrent I’ve had in my past life. The training department was true to their word and let us know they’d tell us everything we needed to know. Just show up having basic airmanship. All we had to do was our part and study each night. I was more than prepared for each lesson and never came in wondering what’s going on. During indoc I got antsy as it was a lot of different departments just talking throughout the day and figured I’d try to study ahead in the evenings. I found myself lost doing that and wouldn’t recommend anything other than starting flows. This was my first AQP initial too so idk if that played a part or not.
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I wrote my comments more as a recurrent thing and then got thinking about initial these days. Initial used to be a nightmare for the 727 S/O position. Oh how things have changed. AQP on the 75 made the oral go away and now it's just a written test for the oral, with it all coming from a master question bank. While there is no gouge for initial, it's all VERY well spelled out in the training materials. What's going to happen each day is in the script, so no surprises. Study the night before for the next day. The instructors love being instructors and YOU'RE success it THEIR success. If they are IPA guys in the training dept that means they don't want to fly the line, for reasons you are about to find out....haha. But the way training is scripted out there should be no surprises. As far as indoc, if there isn't a test on it, I'd hardly worry about it. Get through training and get through your first year. Any Capt should be happy to clue you in on how things really work. And if not, feel free to PM me, I've only been out since June but knew the contract pretty well. I also know who to ask about nuances in the contract and since I'm not on the list anymore, I have nothing to fear...mwhahaha...
 
Flashcards always worked for me. I use an app for android phones called "flashcards deluxe". I start out with Memory items, flows, and limitations. If there is a written test with a published question bank I make flashcards for all of those. I follow this all up by just making time to read all the manuals, especially AOM(FCOM, all volumes), FOM, and FCTM, cover to cover, as much as I can stomach while taking notes. I make more flashcards if I find things during this reading that would seem good to remember.

Really I probably learn the most in open discussions with other pilots though. If you can find a group of people nerdy enough, you can learn a lot, especially if it is a big enough group so that potential bogus info gets called out.
 
No short cuts. Memorize limitations, system numbers and memory items before you get to class. The rest they will teach you in class then just review what you studied before. If it's in a book, a yellow highlighter is your best friend.
 
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Do exactly what I’m told when I’m told. Nothing extra. It’s all about shedding unnecessary workload.

The training department makes it clear exactly what they want from me so I do exactly that. It’s always memory items, flows, limitations, and systems. Gets easier as you get more types.

As far as secret weapons, relax. Sleep good. The end.
 
Melatonin and some form of exercise. For me it’s frisbee golf and long walks playing Pokémon go but whatever floats your boat. Eating out gets old and makes me feel like a fat piece of trash after about a week
 
I make my own flash cards from company source material. Never early or from outside sources.

For callouts I throw a tennis ball against a wall while I’m trying to force myself to undergo the rote memorization phase of training.

It helps when you have a handful of single engine airplane.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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